I can talk about Springbok rugby for days on end and it will always put a smile on my face,but I think as South Africans we need to face the facts.It&#39;s like brandy and Coke.Boerewors and Braai and sokkie and music.You know it when you see it.This is the last year that the Springboks will have a say at a Worls Cup event.They will not again future in the top 3 or be a very competitive Springbok side.From next year on rugby is gonna undergo many changes in this country and with it will go standards of play that made Springbok rugby great.With the Quoata situation in our sport, rugby will start to feel the effect of politics like a poison going through it.The governent is planning a few major changes in rugby like in Netbal,Swimming etc etc.With it all the high standard of play will go out the window and fielding a real competitive side will be something that only memories of the past will give you.I hope that the Boks can give their supporters one good last effort at the WC and perhaps bring the cup home as it will alwys be remebered.It is sad but denying it or trying to see a light in the dark tunnel of time is like hoping to find apples on a peach tree.The memories of The TRUE Boks will always make us smile. :bravo:

shazbooger

16-08-07, 03:03 PM

I dont agree with quota&#39;s on an international level, as I believe your country should be represented by the best talent available to it (regardless of race). But I dont see any long term harm in forcing quota&#39;s on the clubs or provinces, in an attempt to include the significant majority of the population.

Bahhhh, I usually stay out of any Bok arguements about quota&#39;s etc but damn they are annoying. You guys are a force in world rugby at the moment. Even if you were to exclude 90% of your population you have a greater playing pool then most of the home nations. Surely tapping in to this pool in greater force can only benefit the long term future of the game in SA?

I Bleed Black

16-08-07, 05:06 PM

I dont agree with quota&#39;s on an international level, as I believe your country should be represented by the best talent available to it (regardless of race). But I dont see any long term harm in forcing quota&#39;s on the clubs or provinces, in an attempt to include the significant majority of the population.

Bahhhh, I usually stay out of any Bok arguements about quota&#39;s etc but damn they are annoying. You guys are a force in world rugby at the moment. Even if you were to exclude 90% of your population you have a greater playing pool then most of the home nations. Surely tapping in to this pool in greater force can only benefit the long term future of the game in SA?
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I agree with Logorrhea. Dont lose hope Blackbird. Im sure the Boks will dip in performance, but I am confident you guys will stay in the top 6 in the rankings over the next 10 years while the new systems come into play.

What scares me is your player pool is going to go through the roof. No reason why it wont expand to be bigger than Englands. And with a good mix of white and coloured natural athletes, look out world Rugby!

Plenty of good times ahead for the Bokke! Just not in 2007 or 2011 I hope!! :P

BokMagic

16-08-07, 05:24 PM

Blackbird, I`m glad that you`re still supporting the Boks. But I also agree with the previous 2 posters in saying that expanding the player base is actually going to benefit our rugby tremendously in the future.

Right, onto the quota story- look, I`ll never agree with anything but full merit in national team selection. But in all honesty, have you seen some of the black talent coming through? Mark my words, Chilliboy Ralepelle will be the Bok captain at the 2011 RWC, and he`ll be there fully on merit. Kabamba Floors`ll be the star openside, and once again, fully on merit. Then there`s some excellent black props bubbling under- Mxoli and Beast at the Sharks, and the tighthead from the Lions. And I`m not even mentioning the outside backs- hell, they`re all black right now, and all fully-fledged Bok merit selections.

So, I don`t really share your pessimism wrt the immediate future of the Boks. And in the long term, say 20 years from now, very few in world rugby`ll be able to touch us. And precisely because of the fact that we`ll be more inclusive.

fokkenkak

16-08-07, 11:24 PM

Hoskins said 7 which is a reasonable number of black players in a bok squad but Stofile said it was kak and there will be more than 7 blacks, he also doesnt include coloureds as blacks so there is dark times ahead.

For your info mate, Chilli captained the u19 Boks to victory in the u19 RWC when he was only 17. From hooker, no less. Incidentally, it was his 2nd u19RWC, having 1st been an age-group Bok at 16. And he went on to win an u21 RWC the following year- while still in school! Just to add to that- from hooker, no less.

Right, now we come to the u21 stuff. Played for the u21 Boks in 3 RWC`s, winning 2 and losing in the final of the other one. Pretty good rugby pedigree there methinks.

Right, now onto his leadership skills. Not only did he captain several age-group Bok teams, but he was elected, by the pupils themselves, head boy at Pretoria Boy`s High, John Smit`s alma mater, no less, when in standard 9 already. Nobody`s ever done that before. And that in a very much predominantly white school.

I`ll tell you this much- if any provincial coach gives this lad an extended run even in the Currie Cup, you`ll see just how good he really is. IMO, except for Smit and Bismarck, currently the 3rd best hooker in the country, definately ahead of Botha who looked very ordinary in his Bok games this year.

BernieOlivier

07-05-08, 02:58 PM

My blood will be green till the day they change the Springbok colours. Although I have blue blood because I support the Bulls